Wife of the year

That's me.

All you others can step off.  The hubbs has requested these little sammies be in the fridge all the time.  Not the pb&j-just the pb&h. So I have complied and let me tell you they are just about as exciting as the laundry detergent I love. They are great. Honestly, no more wasting bread, no more peanut butter on the counter and jelly jars caked in peanut butter. 

If you wanna be the best wife ever, like me, run to the grocery store and stock up.  And while you are there, pick up the jelly kind for the kiddies.

Feet don't fail me now

I am so, so, so over this planter fasciitis. Too bad it's not over me. Yesterday I went and spent more than I ever have on a pair of shoes and dang it-they better help do the trick.....the trick being able to walk around without feeling like there is a marble in the bottom of my foot.  The sales guy at Nike swore these shoes will help.  If getting paid $9.25 an hour to pedal proper foot wear isn't the perfect resource to help with my medical dilemma then I just don't know what else to do.

These shoes better be magic.

Family room: take 8

(The whoopsie window above)

Ta-da! 

It's fixed. I don't know if you can tell but we sure can.  The new window is quite a bit larger than the last one.  Now maybe, just maybe we can get a girl some walls.

Until next time.

Two blind mice

 Math problem: 

You have 2 children.  Each has 2 pairs of glasses.  How many glasses should each child be able to keep in one piece over a 2 day weekend?

Answer: 4.  FOUR pairs of glasses SHOULD be able to make it.

Actual answer:  0

I am ready to let Braley and Ansen go blind until they are old enough for laser eye correction.

 These broken arms, missing nose pieces and falling out/damaging the lenses is almost more then me and my wallet can handle.

I am now starting the Widing family sight fund.  Anyone care to donate?

Family room: take 7

Um, guys?  We have had our first official "oopsie" moment.  See this great window in my breakfast nook?  Looks awesome huh?  I bet it would look even better if it was standing vertical like it should be, not horizontal.  Whoops.

Really, it's kind of funny and it is an easy oopsie to fix.  We have just laughed about it because everything has gone so smooth thus far.  Jason is in the process of getting a new window to fix the hole he has cut in my future wall.

Until next time.

Family room: take 6

 I really don't know how Jason knows how to do all this handyman stuff.  He does it so well and I have to say I am impressed with how great a job he is doing.  This week he put up a pony wall (don't ask.  I don't get what it was either.)

 Then he cut out studs we didn't need. Then he took the pony wall down all in about an hours time.

 Then he put in a header and side boards.  Yep, pretty sure that side boards isn't what they are called.  Anyyywho...

 Above is the where the office will be.  Behind my laundry room doors is the french doors out to the backyard.

This picture below is look through the office into what will be our breakfast nook/homework table/eat somewhere that the whole 'hood can't watch you area.

The ladder is the opening between the two.

 Here is a better shot of the new header.

 And this?  This would be where my kitchen window was this morning. It's not there anymore as you can see.

 It may seem a bit chaotic now...well, let's be honest when isn't it chaotic? What I was saying is, I am excited to see how this all turns out.  It's going to be great.

Until next time.

Some days...

they are just too cute!

Quit kissing frogs

 Isn't that how you get warts?  By kissin' frogs?

Both our ladies had a wart: Kahau on her elbow and Braley between her toes. We tried the drugstore brand wart remover and nothing really happened so we called the doctor and went in.  Actually I called the doctor and didn't tell the girls until we were actually getting in the car for the appointment.  That way didn't have to listen to their freaking out over the possibility of a little discomfort.

 Kahau went first and *whew* she lived.  It was hardly as traumatic as sitting in the waiting room full of anticipation and now her right elbow is bump free.

 She even let the doctor put on a pink band-aide.  For those who know her you know she is morally opposed to the color pink.  I am almost more proud of her for wearing pink then I am for her letting the doctor take a scalpel to her arm.

 Braley was next. Her "procedure" was a little more tender and there were some tears.  Poor little lady.  She survived *double whew* and her toe meat (between her big toe and the one next door) is healing quite well. 

The doctor had to be so pleased that all 5 of us were in the room to support the girls. The kids peppered her with questions about shots, liquid nitrogen and Bethany Hamilton.  I am sure she is relieved she only sees us once or twice a year.

Birthday shopping is hard

 Jason had a great birthday this year.  I am sure he will tell you the same thing-it's just more fun hearing it from me.   This year the kids and I decided to go big and get Jason something he really needed/wanted.  A chainsaw.  We have beautiful fireplace in our new home and we are going to need some serious wood to keep us warm.  Great idea right?

Ya, I thought so too...and so did Jason's parents!  They (without talking to me) went out and got Jason this awesome chainsaw which totally trumped my dinky little one.  How crazy is it that we both thought 'chainsaw' for his birthday!? Trust me, after I saw the one they got him I was all smiles returning the one I purchased to Lowe's...except I was left without a gift to give.  Strike one.

(mental note: in-laws=gift idea stealer's)

 His parents and my parents showered him with good stuff and I was still gift-less.  Lame.  I decided to get him a watch he has been keeping an eye on for the past few months.  It was an obvious gift and not super original but I knew he'd like it so I ordered it.  Wouldn't you know that the morning after I ordered his new watch I get a text from him saying "I know you were thinking of ordering me the watch but don't.  Brian got it for me for my birthday."  Offfffffff course he did.  Strike two.

(p.s. Brian is a good friend and also a gift idea stealer)

 I had to do some fast talking to cancel the watch (obviously they had already charged my card) and start at squared one, again.  I am going to be totally honest with you and tell you that at this point I was ready to buy myself a nice gift and tell him to quit getting everything he wants but that is when I had a genius idea.

 What does every manly man who has already received a chainsaw and watch need?  That's right everyone....behold the fancy-yet manly-teapot.  Wow, I know, he is so incredibly lucky I have such brilliant ideas.  He likes herbal tea-we threw out our old teapot when we moved-we needed a new one-he had a birthday-wham bam thank you ma'am- you get a teapot when you turn 38.  If you are ever in a bind and need superior gift ideas, call me.  I am full of them.

 What really made 38 excited was the cake.  Totally *ahem* homemade.  By homemade I mean made by my home state of Massachusetts.  I almost cried (think I am exaggerating?  I'm not) when I saw the Friendly's logo in the upper right corner and again, to be honest, it didn't really matter if the birthday boy wanted a thin mint cake cause he already got good stuff and I wanted a bite of home.  It was good.  And he liked it so no strike 3 for me.

Do I dare even try Christmas shopping for him?

Family room: take 5

Like I said before.  The wall is gone and more things (walls, doors, yada yada yada) have gone up.  Let me show you.

These are our french doors all framed in and waiting for me to send the kids running out into the backyard through them.  Well, maybe next summer.  Right now there is a pile of wood, siding and who knows what out there.

The office space:

Our breakfast nook space: 

The kitchen door will be coming down and we will have a cute little table to eat at as well as do our homework on without the interruptions of neighborhood kids taping on the window asking when the kids can come out and play.

This is the wall to our Nook and it will (soon) have a nice big window looking into the backyard.

That's the progress for now.  Until next time...

Until next time.

Happy 38th!

Happy Birthday Jason! 

We're sorry that you have to spend your whole day on an airplane flying to Texas BUT we love you lots and we will make sure to celebrate in a BIG way this weekend at Oktoberfest.

Mmmmmm apple butter cake.

Happy Birthday to you!

Family room:take 4

A little sneak peak.  Here is our framed in storage room.  The right is where the entrance (door) will be.

 The framed in laundry room.

 The back wall of the garage has come down!  Where you see Jason will be our new office space.  The studs will come down and you will enter from the family room.

 From the office looking in:

 Oh look!  It's me and I am helping.  It's not allowed (by him-not me) very often so the kids had to get a picture.

Just look at those two admiring their handy work.
Until next time.